Shax

In demonology, Shax (also spelled Chax, Shan, Shass, Shaz, and Scox) is a Great Marquis (and a Duke to some authors) of Hell, and has power over thirty legions of demons. He takes away the sight, hearing and understanding of any person under the conjurer's request, and steals money out of kings' houses, carrying it back in 1200 years. He also steals horses and everything the conjurer asks. Shax can also discover hidden things if they are not kept by evil spirits, and sometimes gives good familiars, but sometimes those familiars deceive the conjurer.

Shax is thought to be faithful and obedient, but is a great liar and will deceive the conjurer unless obliged to enter a magic triangle drawn on the floor. He will then speak marvellously and tell the truth.

He is depicted as a stork that speaks with a hoarse but subtle voice; his voice changes into a beautiful one once he entered the magic triangle.

Popular culture

* Shax has made several appearances in the comic book series "Hellboy" by Mike Mignola
* Shax appears several times in the Japanese video game series "Megami Tensei" as a demon or persona.
* Shax is the nickname of the famous Tonbridge Grammar School's curly oak tree.
* Author Shirley Jackson used the name "Shax" in several of her short stories, and her black cat Shax appears in two of her semi-autobiographical works, "Life Among the Savages" and "Raising Demons."
* [http://www.shax.dk Shax.dk] is a Danish online community where you can debate with other belivers of the true existence and form of the demon/daemon Shax.
* In the 2006 Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game supplement "Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and True Name Magic", Shax appears as a female "vestige" with whom characters can make a pact in return for power.

hax ("Charmed")

Infobox Charmed Character


Title=Shax
Actor=Michael Bailey Smith
First=All Hell Breaks Loose
Last=Charmed Again (Part 1)
Creator=Brad Kern
Name=Shax
Kind=Upper Level Demon
Affiliation=The Source of All Evil
Family=Unknown
Powers=
*Aerokinesis
* Energy blasts
*Teleportation (via gusts of wind)

Shax appeared twice in the fantasy WB drama "Charmed" where he was manifested as the demonic, personal assassin of the Source of All Evil. He appears as an evil personification of the air, supernaturally appearing and disappearing in sudden gusts of wind, and killing his targets with large blasts of wind energy summoned in his hands.

In the series he was assigned to kill a doctor who was destined to do great good and was under the Charmed Ones protection. He first attacked the Charmed Ones, Prue and Piper Halliwell whilst Phoebe was searching for the vanquish spell. He beat them, but didn't manage to kill either of them due to Phoebes' timely appearance with the spell, chanting it herself. Sadly, the spell required the Power of Three and only injured Shax. Prue and Piper follow him outside and get attacked again, but Piper blows him up. They are not sure if he is vanquished however. Unfortunately, for the Charmed Ones, the vanquishing was filmed by a local news reporter who streamed the footage live onto television screens across San Francisco. The world turns their attention to the Witches who have to deal with that and Shax, who returns to attack yet again. Fortunately this time both Prue and Piper chant the spell, and this has enough power to vanquish the demon.As a result of exposing the existence of the supernatural, the Source (using the upper-level demon Tempus) was forced to rewind time to before Shax was vanquished. Unaware of the change in timeline, Shax returned and successfully carried out his hit when he murdered Prue after blasting her through a wall in her family home. [cite web |url=http://www.tv.com/charmed/all-hell-breaks-loose/episode/38663/summary.html?tag=ep_list;ep_title;21|title=Charmed, “All Hell Breaks Loose” Summary|work=TV.com|accessdate=2008-02-19] He became the only demon to ever permanently kill a Charmed One, thus temporarily rendering the Power of Three powerless.cite web |url=http://dvd.ciao.co.uk/Charmed_Season_4_DVD__Review_5644418|title=Charmed Series 4: Exit Prue, Enter Paige |work=Ciao |date=2006-01-20|accessdate=2008-02-19] ["Charmed" "All Hell Breaks Loose", Prue: [To Dr. Griffiths] You're a healer, you do good. Now, either you have saved too many lives or you're about to save a life that [the Demons] don't want you to save.] In revenge, the remaining three Charmed Ones, Prudence's three younger sisters, vanquished Shax for a second and final time; marking the very first vanquish of youngest Charmed One, Paige Matthews.cite web |url=http://www.tv.com/charmed/charmed-again-1/episode/73474/summary.html|title=Charmed, “Charmed Again, Part I” Summary|work=TV.com|accessdate=2008-02-19]

Shax also appears in the "Charmed" novel, "Charmed Again" by Elizabeth Lenhard, which retells the events of Prue's murder, her subsequent burial and Shax's final vanquish by the three youngest Charmed Ones.cite web |url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charmed-Again-Constance-M-Burge/dp/0743430395|title=“Charmed Again” |work=Amazon|accessdate=2008-02-19]

Shax was portrayed by Michael Bailey Smithcite web |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0809344/|title=Michael Bailey Smith|work=IMDB|accessdate=2008-02-19] (who also played the roles of the Source, Belthazor and one of the Grimlocks) in the third season finale, ""All Hell Breaks Loose"", and the fourth season premier, ""Charmed Again (Part I)"".

Furthermore, Shax came fourth in a poll of the "Top 10 Villains" in "Charmed", conducted by "Charmed Magazine" and Living (the UK broadcaster of the series).cite web |url=http://www.livingtv.co.uk/charmed/features02.html|title=Top 10 Villains |work=Living TV|accessdate=2008-02-19] Drawing on his high ranking in demonic hierarchy, his ability to kill one of the Charmed Ones, and his frightening appearance, the poll concluded "he is one very dangerous demon". Although he seldom spoke, his "memorable quote" was of his only line on the show, "the end", uttered after killing Prue.

Description in the "Book of Shadows"

Shax is one of many demons and warlocks who has a page dedicated to him in the Charmed One's "Book of Shadows" (a magical tome detailing the many magical beings present in the show's fictional universe). The page, however, is only ever revealed on-screen (despite being referenced to on the show) in a special features documentary on the eighth season's DVD, and in one issue of the official "Charmed Magazine". The page reads as follows:

Quote|"Shax. The Source's Assassin."
"Demonic hitman called out for only the top assignments by the Source."
"Corporealises out of wind and air, method of attack is a ferocious blast of wind that can be lethal to its victim."

Vanquishing Spell

Quote|"Evil wind that blows,"
"That which forms below,"
"No longer may you dwell,"
"Death takes you with this spell."

References

ee also

* The Lesser Key of Solomon

ources

*S. L. MacGregor Mathers, A. Crowley, "" (1904). 1995 reprint: ISBN 0-87728-847-X.